Mastering the Art of Campaign Strategy: Making OASIS Work for You
What separates out a mediocre campaign that is far less likely to secure outcomes from an award-winning campaign that has demonstrable ROI?
In a nutshell, it is the depth of thinking that goes into the application of OASIS or ROSIE, which is the campaign planning template used by public sector teams.
Too many campaigns start with good intentions but get lost in the noise. They lack focus, fail to connect with the right people, or fizzle out before they achieve results.
That’s where a proper strategy comes in. Enter OASIS: a structured framework that ensures your campaign is built for success.
We’ve broken it down into simple, practical steps to help you cut through the noise and deliver a campaign that works.
O - Objectives: Get Your Destination Clear
Before you set off on a journey, you need to know where you’re going. The same applies to campaigns. Your objectives should be SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Ask yourself:
- What are you trying to change or achieve?
- How will you know if it’s working?
- Are your goals realistic given your resources?
For example, if you’re launching a recycling campaign, don’t just aim for ‘raising awareness.’ Instead, set a tangible goal: Increase household recycling rates in X area by 15% over six months.
Build different objectives for different stages of delivery to ensure that you can measure (a) who you are reaching, (b) how they are reacting, (c) actions that follow, and (d) impact.
A- Audience Insight and Research: Understand the problem you are trying to solve and who you are talking to
A campaign without a clearly defined audience is like shouting into the void.
Who are you trying to reach? Parents? Young professionals? Retirees? Each group has different priorities, habits, and barriers to engagement.
A few practical tips:
- First build up an understanding of the problem you are trying to solve by conducting internal research and engagement in your own organisation to build up a clear picture and ensure everyone is on the same page when it comes to what your campaign is designed to achieve.
- Use AI to help gather data and insights while conducting your own research to address knowledge gaps: What do they read? Where do they spend time online? What is most likely to influence them?
- Create audience personas: Give your audience a face and a story to understand who they are, what makes them tick and what motivates them.
S - Strategy: The Big Idea That Ties It Together
The creative strategy is your campaign’s beating heart—the ‘why’ and ‘how’ behind everything you do.
A strong creative strategy:
- Understands the basics of behavioural science to determine what type of content approaches are most likely to build engagement with audiences
- Has content mapped out across structured themes to ensure that what is produced is fully aligned with your objectives and insight
- Has a compelling brand identity to make you stand out.
- Uses authentic people-led storytelling
I - Implementation: Bringing It to Life
This is where ideas turn into action. A campaign without a solid execution plan is just wishful thinking.
Some golden rules:
- Plan tactics wisely: Social media, events, PR, partnerships—use what works.
- Use a content calendar: Outline what’s happening, when, and where.
- Allocate resources smartly: Budget, team roles, and tools should be clear from the start
- Engage partners: Amplify your reach by working with influencers, community groups, and local organisations.
- Use a project plan to precisely plot actions day-by-day and week-by-week – it will also serve as a great reporting tool for stakeholders.
S - Scoring: Measure, Learn, Adapt
Evaluation isn’t just an end-of-campaign activity—it should be ongoing.
What to track:
- Engagement: Likes, shares, comments, event attendance.
- Reach: How many people actually saw your campaign?
- Conversion: Did they take the action you wanted? (Sign-ups, downloads, behaviour change.)
- Feedback: What do people think? What’s working? What’s not?
Review regularly, tweak as needed, dial up what’s working and dial down what isn’t.
Bringing It All Together
A well-planned campaign isn’t about throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks. It’s about clarity, connection, and commitment.
By using OASIS, you ensure your campaign has: ✅ Clear goals ✅ The right audience focus ✅ A compelling strategy ✅ Strong execution ✅ Measurable success
It’s not rocket science, but it is a game-changer.
So before you dive into your next campaign, take a step back. Think OASIS. And make every piece of communication count.
Interested in practical team-wide practical OASIS training to raise your game? Email simon@westcocommunications.com
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